This is the final song from a show about the hopes of youth in the 1960s and how so many of them foundered in violence and disillusion. It’s sung by a couple who went from naïve idealism to sobered resignation and a determination to adapt to a new reality in the most positive way they could. –J. Linn Allen
“DO NO HARM” from the musical
IN THAT DAWN
FIRST, DO NO HARM.
FOR ALL WHO WANT TO GET IT RIGHT
NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT
NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT
REPEAT THE MANTRA LIKE A CHARM
FIRST THING–DO NO HARM.
WE’RE MADE OF WHAT SURROUNDS US
THE DARKEST EARTH, THE LIGHTEST AIR
LET OUR LIGHT WITH DARKNESS SHARE
RISE WITH THE SUN AND SEE IT DOWN
AND SAY AN EVENING PRAYER.
PLANT OUR CROPS AND NURTURE THEM
WATER THEM AND HOE THE WEEDS
PICK AND EAT THEM WHEN THEY’RE READY
IN THE FALL PUT UP PRESERVES
ALWAYS SAVE THE SEEDS.
BUT FIRST, WE’LL DO NO HARM.
FOR ALL WHO WANT GET IT RIGHT
NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT
NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT
INK THE MOTTO ON YOUR ARM
FIRST THING–DO NO HARM.
WE KNOW THERE HAVE TO BE SOLUTIONS
JUSTICE IN A WORLD OF WRONG
BUT DON’T GET LOST IN HATE AND FURY
SIT UP HIGH AS JUDGE AND JURY
WHERE YOU DON’T BELONG
IT’S ALWAYS EASY TO GET ANGRY
LET THE RIGHTEOUS BLOOD RUN HOT
SOMETIMES IT’S THE ONLY WAY
TO MAKE SURE EVIL’S ON DISPLAY
PUT POWER ON THE SPOT
BUT SOMETIMES MAYBE NOT
TIME AND FATE HAVE WAYS OF BRINGING
CONSEQUENCES NOT FORESEEN
WE CAN’T TELL HOW PRESENT DARKNESS
MIGHT RESULT IN LIGHT TOMORROW
OR SHADOWS IN BETWEEN
SO FIRST, DO NO HARM.
FOR ALL WHO WANT TO DO IT RIGHT
NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT
NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT
SOUND IT LIKE A NIGHT ALARM–
FIRST THING–DO NO HARM.
DEAL WITH WIND AND DEAL WITH RAIN
HANDLE PROBLEMS THAT YOU CAN
ASK FOR GUIDANCE WHEN YOU NEED
ON YOUR OWN YOU WON’T SUCCEED
TRY TO HAVE A PLAN
AND FIRST, DO NO HARM.
FOR ALL WHO WANT TO GET IT RIGHT
NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT
NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT
DOCTORS SAY IT
WE SHOULD ALL JOIN HANDS AND PRAY IT
THINK ABOUT IT EVERYDAY
GRIP IT LIKE A MAGIC CHARM
TRY TO DO NO HARM.